Two Halves Can Fill a Whole
by jylener22
Summary: Valentine's Day and White Day. Two holidays devoted to romantic love. Usually given and received in the form of chocolate and other little mementos. However, in this drabble (sort of...) series, we will discover what true love looks like in its more lasting forms for a young man and woman. And just who would this devoted couple be...well I should think that would be rather obvious.
1. Day 1: Eagle Without Wings

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

Ichigo's arms were getting a little tired. Normally, his battles against the Hollows didn't bother him because one good swing and that was all it would take to purify them. However, today Ichigo was not at the top of his game because Hollows were not the only thing he was fighting against.

"Stupid cold. I hate this time of the year!" he growled as he cut down yet another troublesome soul and then nearly dropped Zangetsu as a series of powerful sneezes and then a deep, hacking cough overtook him.

"Ichigo!"

Finally catching his breath, Ichigo looked up to see Orihime sprinting towards him. Oh great. There was a steely look in her eyes that really could only mean one of two things. One, that he hadn't contacted her to say that he was going to fight Hollows while in this condition or two, that he had even attempted to fight Hollows while in this condition in the first place.

Just as he was opening his mouth to say that he was fine on his own, Orihime made a sweeping gesture with her arm and shouted, "Koten Zanshun!" and the next moment her Tsubaki whizzed past Ichigo's ear and cut through something that howled behind him.

Ichigo was really glad that Rukia wasn't here otherwise he would probably have gotten a kick in the face as she shouted, "What is the matter with you letting your guard down like that?! You should be grateful Orihime was here to save your sorry behind! Now pick up Zangetsu and quit acting like your head is stuffed full of marshmallows or something!"

A few minutes later, the last Hollow disintegrated as Ichigo leaned against Zangetsu to keep himself from keeling over in exhaustion. However, he had to do so in a way so as not to arouse Orihime's suspicions…not that it really worked anyway.

Orihime turned towards him and opened her mouth, but as usual, Ichigo asked her first.

"Are you all right?"

The look of concern slowly melted from Orihime's expression, replaced by a smile. They had shared similar conversations after almost every single battle they had ever experienced together whether they were both fighting or not.

Orihime replied with her usual phrase, "Yes," to which Ichigo responded with, "That's good."

They stood there for a moment before Orihime gave him a knowing look and said, "I'm not going to bother asking how you are because you'll just fib and say you're fine as well."

Straightening his shoulders, Ichigo said indifferently, "But I am fin-"

Obviously his body didn't want him to complete the lie as his chest decided at that moment to start hacking and trying to rid his esophagus of all the muck stuck in there. Sometimes, he really hated himself.

Trying to suppress a smile, Orihime crossed her arms and said, "Straight to bed with you, young man. The Hollows have been dealt with for now and there are no more souls to send over to Soul Society. Rest is the best remedy for a cold like this, all though I think I'll stop by the store to pick up a few things for you and then stop by your house to make sure you're following the doctor's orders."

Knowing it would be futile to argue with her since he knew she was right, Ichigo hefted Zangetsu and trudged back towards his house, which fortunately was only two minutes away. He didn't have the energy to flash step at the moment.

When he reached his room, Ichigo crawled first into his body and then under his covers. Apparently, he conked out right away since the next thing he knew a pair of gentle hands was carefully pulling the blankets away from his face so that they could place a cooling pad on his burning forehead. Blearily, Ichigo turned and cracked his eyes open enough to meet Orihime's concerned yet warm gaze.

"Well hello there," she said softly, "Long time, no see."

Ichigo's mouth quirked up into a small grin as he asked playfully, "What took you so long?"

Rummaging through her grocery bags, Orihime answered breezily, "Oh, you know me. As soon as I enter any sort of store that has food I get very easily distracted going through the shelves and trying to come up with new recipes to try out the next time I have some free time."

Nodding his head slightly, Ichigo asked, "And so what is going to be on the menu the next time I come over for dinner?"

Opening up a bottle of cold medicine, Orihime replied with relish, "Well, I saw these fun looking noodles with all different shapes and colors. Then I saw a jar of habanero chicken paste and then I thought if we added some leeks and onions and maybe a few other vegetables it would make a nice and zingy pasta dish."

Ichigo tried to imagine what the food might look and taste like and then offered, "That does sound interesting, but how about if we skip the chicken paste, cook up some real chicken in oil with a bit of sea salt and some canned habaneros?"

Orihime thought for a moment before she gave Ichigo a delighted smile and said, "That sounds wonderful! I can't wait to try it out!"

They smiled at each other and continued on talking for some time. After tending to her boyfriend, Orihime gave Ichigo a kiss which he returned before taking her leave.

Even though Ichigo and Orihime had almost completely different personalities and tastes, there was one opinion they both shared that had drawn them to one another and caused them to fall in love with each other. They never wanted to say or do anything that would make the other think that they had to change anything about themselves or their personality because in some ways it would be like taking the wings away from an eagle and then commanding it to fly.

**Author's Note:**

This is for BlackMoonWhiteSun's Valentine/White 14 Day Challenge over on deviantart that I decided to participate in. I will put the prompt at the beginning of the story so you know where I had to start from.

In regard to this story, as soon as I saw 'Eagle Without Wings' the idea that I typed out at the end came to me. Just so that everything is clear, I'll give a bit of an explanation on that point. Ichigo went out to fight the Hollows even though he had a cold and Orihime could scold him for doing something so silly and brainless, but 1) it's not in her personality and 2) she knows what Ichigo is like and there is no way he would listen to her anyway. Then, when Orihime fusses over him and goes to get him supplies for his cold Ichigo doesn't protest even though his dad or sisters could probably take care of his because 1) Orihime has his best interest at heart and 2) he knows she's right.

Hope you enjoyed and I will be working to get the next chapters for not only this but also for the other stories I'm in the middle of as well! So much to do, so little time! However, it's always good when you enjoy what you're writing about!


	2. Day 2: Promises

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

"Hey Orihime! Where's that box with all the books?"

"Umm…I just saw it around here somewhere…where did it go…Ah! Here it is!"

Ichigo heard Orihime grunt in exertion and he quickly called to her, "Don't worry about it! I'll come get it!"

The next moment, Orihime walked into what would soon be the living room and said brightly, "Too late!"

Ichigo couldn't help the grin he gave his new bride as he gestured towards the corner where he had just finished setting up several book shelves and said, "Right over there will be fine."

As they started unpacking the books and arranging them on different shelves, Orihime looked up with a smile and said, "I used to think that my collection of books was pretty extensive, but even our two sets together will not be enough to fill up these shelves."

Looking up from the book containing the complete works of Guy de Maupassant, Ichigo's smile got bigger as he said, "Well, I thought it would be fun for us to slowly add to our library over the years. See how books from our past mingle with those in the future."

"In a sense, two becoming one and then adding to each other."

"Just like that."

They mutually leaned towards each other over the scattered books and shared a long, affectionate kiss. Eventually, they parted, Ichigo swooped in for one more brief peck and then they set back to work.

Despite the fact that they had furniture, clothes, kitchen supplies and other household items to unpack in their new home, for the time being both Ichigo and Orihime were more concerned with pulling out books one at a time, smiling as memories of either reading that story for the first time or where/how they had acquired the book and finding a new home for each book on the shelves above. They didn't feel the need to talk, but sat in comfortable silence.

After about an hour, Orihime was smiling at a well-worn and loved copy of Brothers Grimm fairy tales and remembering how her brother used to read her all sorts of fantasy stories at bedtime or when they would have picnics and so on when she noticed a change in Ichigo's demeanor. Turning towards her husband of over two weeks, she saw that he while he had opened a book that was in similar shape to the one in her own hands, Ichigo didn't seem to be having the same pleasant nostalgic memories she was.

Scooting a little closer to him, Orihime asked softly, "Is something wrong?"

Ichigo didn't answer right away but continued to absently peruse what was written on the page in front of him. Looking over his shoulder, Orihime saw that he had picked up a copy of Shakespeare Sonnets.

Slowly, Ichigo said, "My mom used to love Shakespeare. One time, Dad was up to his usual antics and before anyone could figure out what had happened, they started having a Shakespeare quote Showdown or something. Dad yelled 'The lady doth protest too much!' to which Mom responded with 'I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it,' then Dad retorted 'To be or not to be! That is the question!' but Mom finally won when she proclaimed 'He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man. He that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.' Then they both had a good laugh."

A small smile lifted the corners of Orihime's mouth at the thought of such an event occurring, but she didn't say anything as she sensed that Ichigo was not finished and that they were about to get to the crux of whatever was bothering him.

"They loved each other. My dad has been a nutcase for as long as I can remember, all though I will say that it got a little more distinctive about a year after Mom's death. Even though Dad was a knucklehead, Mom loved him still."

Seeing where the conversation was going, Orihime looked down at the book in Ichigo's lap and an idea came to her. When Ichigo didn't say any more, but sat there seeming to wait for her to say something, she instead reached over and flipped through the pages of the book before coming across what she was looking for.

Over Ichigo's shoulder, Orihime read the words, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove."

As if by instinct, Ichigo quoted, "O no! it is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken; it is the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."

Seeming to come out of something of a stupor, Ichigo looked at Orihime and went on, "Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle's compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom."

Smiling, Orihime finished, "If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

Reaching over to cup the side of Ichigo's face, Orihime said, "At our wedding I vowed to love you and stay by your side 'til death do us part. However, right now I'd like to add that no matter what form you take whether Hollow, Vizard, Soul Reaper or otherwise that I will love and be faithful to you just the same as if you were human. I will stay by your side as long as I live to make your promise to protect me all the easier."

Leaning into Orihime's hand, Ichigo looked deeply into her eyes and responded, "And I promise never to take you or the time we have together for granted."

And once again with pieces of their past lives and hope for the future scattered about them, the sealed their promises with a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

So here is Day 2 for BlackMoonWhiteSun's Challenge! These are fun because they can be short and to the point before moving onto something else and coming up a whole new idea!

I'm also trying to get as many of these done as possible while still working on my other stuff because once the week hits, reality comes into play and time to write can be hard to find. Also coming up with the energy and imagination to write something worth writing.

Anyway, enough with my whining and excuses. Hope you like this next part!

Just fyi, the sonnet Ichigo and Orihime were quoting back and forth to one another was Shakespeare's 116th Sonnet. Love the words as they are so true. Shakespeare really was a genius.


	3. Day 3: Heart

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

"No I can't take one more step towards you. 'Cause all that's waiting is regret. And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore. You lost the love I loved the most."

Hearing his wife's voice drifting past his ears from the kitchen, at first Ichigo didn't pay much attention. Then as she continued to sing, something about the tone in which she was singing caught his attention and began to bother him. What was it?

"I've learned to live half alive and now you want me one more time."

Suddenly, it occurred to Ichigo what sounded so wrong, so off about her voice.

"And who do you think you are running 'round leaving scars. Collecting your jar of hearts and tearing love apart."

Her voice was not in its usual chipper, bubbly tone.

"You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul. So don't come back for me."

Her voice sounded like it was wracked with pain.

"Who do you think you are?"

And yet, there was still and edge of steel in her tone as if she were trying to slowly regain her strength and courage.

As Orihime finished the chorus part, a sudden thought came to Ichigo and he moved away from the computer desk and began making his way towards the kitchen. Before Orihime could continue one with her song, Ichigo started up one of his own.

"Well, since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell. It's down at the end of Lonely Street at Heartbreak Hotel."

From the kitchen, Ichigo heard Orihime begin to sing the next verse of her own song before she noticed Ichigo singing. He heard a couple of plates clank together, then nothing and lastly what sounded like a soft giggle as he kept coming down the hall.

Another idea struck him just before he reached the doorway to the kitchen and he did his best to look and sound like The King as he sang, "You make me so lonely baby. I get so lonely baby. I get so lonely I could die."

At the last line, Ichigo prostrated himself over the kitchen counter with his mouth open, tongue lolling out and his eyes rolled back in his head. Orihime tried to suppress her giggles which only resulted in her snorting a little which in turn almost made Ichigo stop 'playing dead'.

Taking up the challenge of sorts, Orihime composed herself and began singing, "Where do broken hearts go? Can they find their way home? Back to the open arms of a love that's waiting there. And if somebody loves you, won't they always love you?"

Ichigo heard Orihime walk over to where he was still flopped over the counter and then sensed her leaning over him as she sang softly, "I look into your face and I know that you still care…"

She poked his nose and said, "For me."

Thinking for a moment, Ichigo pulled his tongue back into his mouth and sang with his eyes still closed, "In the night I heard him talk. Coldest story ever told. Somewhere far along this road he lost his soul to a woman so heartless."

Cracking his eyes open, Ichigo asked, "How could you be so heartless?"

Orihime rested her chin in her palm as she sang back, "If I give my heart to you will you handle it with care? Will you always treat me tenderly and in every way be fair?"

Reaching down to brush away some strands of hair from Ichigo's forehead, Orihime went on whimsically, "If I give my heart to you will you give me all your love? Will you swear that you'll be true to me by the light that shines above?"

Opening his eyes fully, Ichigo smirked and sang, "My heart's a stereo. It beats for you so listen close. Hear my thoughts in every note."

Carefully standing up and turning around in order to lean against the counter and look into Orihime's eyes, Ichigo sang, "Make me your radio and turn me up when you feel low. This melody was meant for you so sing along to my stereo."

Orihime smiled in pleasure before looking thoughtful for a moment, brightening and singing, "Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on."

Leaning forward slightly, Orihime continued, "Once more you open the door. You're here in my heart and my heart will go on and on."

Once she finished, Orihime leaned back again to which Ichigo responded by moving forward as he sang, "I haven't seen you in ages."

At first, Orihime looked confused but Ichigo kept going, "Sometimes I find myself wondering where you are. For me you'll always be eighteen."

This time, Ichigo reached forward in order to grasp a few strands of Orihime's hair as he finished, "And beautiful. And dancing away with my heart."

Orihime's cheeks flushed pleasantly as she sang, "You'll be in my heart. Yes, you'll be in my heart. From this day on, now and forever more."

Taking Ichigo's hand between hers, Orihime sang, "You'll be in my heart. No matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart always."

Straightening up, Ichigo grasped Orihime's hand as he sang, "Don't go breaking my heart."

Knowing her part, Orihime allowed herself to be led around the counter as she sang, "I couldn't if I tried."

Pulling Orihime towards him, Ichigo sang, "Oh honey if I get restless."

Orihime shook her head emphatically as she arranged her arms and hands in Ichigo's to allow him to dance with her as she sang, "Baby you're not that kind."

Together, they spun around the small kitchen and sang together, "Ooh, ooh. Nobody knows."

Ichigo sang, "When I was down," to which Orihime responded, "I was your clown," before singing the previous part again.

Then Ichigo gently dropped Orihime into a dip as he sang, "Right from the start."

Orihime grinned and wrapped her hands around Ichigo's neck as she sang, "I gave you my heart."

As Ichigo slowly pulled her up, they sang together, "Ooh, I gave you my heart."

They stood still for a moment, before Ichigo gently reached up and took Orihime's hand again as he began leading her in a simple box step and sang, "Oh my love. My darling. I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time."

Leaning her head against Ichigo's chest, Orihime sang back, "And time goes by so slowly. And time can do so much. Are you still mine?"

Picking up where she left off, Ichigo continued, "I need your love," then Orihime responded, "I need your love," before they both sang, "God speed your love to me."

Resting his cheek on the top of Orihime's head, Ichigo sang, "Lonely rivers flow to the sea. To the sea. To the open arms of the sea."

Orihime wrapped her free arm further around Ichigo's shoulders as she responded, "Lonely rivers sigh 'Wait for me. Wait for me. I'll be coming home, wait for me."

Still dancing slowly around the kitchen, the couple sang together, "Oh my love. My darling. I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time. And time goes by so slowly. And time can do so much. Are you still mine?"

As if by some silent agreement, they both leaned back in order to look at each other as they danced and sang, "I need your love. I need your love. God speed your love to me."

In their heads, both Ichigo and Orihime could hear the background orchestra swell as they reached the emotional finale and leaned towards one another in order to share in an equally emotional and loving kiss.

**Author's Note:**

Ok, I love being able to take an idea and just running with it. If you have any questions about the songs I put in here, just leave me a comment and I'll let you know.

This actually stemmed from listening to the very first song that was mentioned which was 'Jar of Hearts' by Christina Perri. I was listening to it as I was typing up a different story. It then occurred to me that the next theme for BlackMoonWhiteSun's contest on deviantart was 'Heart' so I decided to look up other songs that had the word 'heart' in the title. One thing lead to another and this is the product of about an hour's work or so.

Hope you liked it (and now I really have to get back to my other story about hearts...hmm, seems there's a lot of hearts floating around in my work...wonder why?)!


	4. Day 4: Sunrise-Sunset Serenade

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

"How beautiful! This time of day is just so amazing. All the different colors. They happen every day and yet every time there is always something different and new to see. Don't you think so Ichigo? Ichigo?"

The young man in question was far too busy in his own observations of color to really hear what his fiancée was talking about.

Hair which had a richer color than that painted across the horizon. The strands also had more warmth, depth and texture to them than could be accurately captured onto a painter's canvas. It also was silky smooth yet thick and abundant so that when he picked up, it would slip right through his hands as though he were trying to hold water.

Skin so smooth it almost felt like the rich cream its hue reminded Ichigo of. With all the colors reflected in the sky, it bathed Orihime in even warmer colors so that her skin seemed to glow.

Lips that were an innocent shade of natural pink. No lip gloss was necessary in order to draw attention to how lovely they were. Every once in a while, Orihime would apply a small amount of gloss or lip balm, but Ichigo definitely preferred her more natural state in all things.

And lastly, eyes that were a brilliant shade of grey. Most people might gray eyes to either be unnerving, unnatural or in some cases highly dull. Orihime's eyes were the antithesis of all those presumptions and they were the one physical feature about Orihime that Ichigo knew would never change no matter how many years he looked into them.

One day those luscious strands of vividly colored hair would turn gray and then white. Most of it also might turn thin and almost completely fall out of her head. The skin that was so silky to the touch now would one day become wrinkly and possibly spotted over knobby joints. Those lips that were a tantalizing shade of pink would also likely become thinner and paler with age.

However, no matter what would happen to the areas surrounding them, Ichigo was sure that those penetrating, kind, sweet, lively eyes would always remain the same. No amount of years could change their brilliance and enthusiasm for life. Their color and the light behind them would give Ichigo a reason to keep on keeping on.

Looking back at the sky, Ichigo wrapped his arm more securely around his fiancée and said, "You're right that there is always something new to discover and enjoy when it comes to sunrises and sunsets."

Lowering his head and murmuring into Orihime's hair he said, "However, during the sunrises and sunsets I want to discover more new and interesting things about the person I love most in this world."

**Author's Note:**

I couldn't decide whether to have them watching a sunrise or a sunset, so I decided to leave that up to your interpretation. I'm thinking they will have loads of fun watching both in the years to come!

Hope you liked it! Next one to come out soon...I hope...


	5. Day 5: Sun and Moon

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

When he lost his mother, for so long, Ichigo was like the new moon. No light could reach him as it seemed as though the earth had taken away his sun. His mom, who had been like the sun in his universe, was no longer there to receive the smile he would give her. Whenever his mom was around, Ichigo always felt himself smiling because she was always smiling.

For a long time, Ichigo remained in darkness, until Rukia came along and began bringing him out from behind the earth and into the light. She began helping him to remember what it felt like to bask in the light of the sun and reflect that light in order to begin to drive away the darkness of night.

It took years for Ichigo to finally realize that the source of the light he was reflecting came from Orihime. She was now the one whose inner light gave him strength and purpose. Now her smiles infected him and she became the force of gravity which pulled everything into alignment.

She shone brightest in the daytime, yet at night the light from her 'sun' would reflect off of him so that he in turn could give light to others even in their darkest hours.

The sun cannot think itself to be more important or powerful than the moon nor can the moon believe that it can give light all by itself. Together, Ichigo and Orihime were able to give hope and strength in the light of day and the dead of night.

**Author's Note:**

Besides writing poetry, this is probably the absolute shortest thing I have ever written. It just seemed as though anything else I added would only be redundant. I'm going to have to do something like this for Rukia and Renji and maybe a few other couples since these are just so much fun!

I do believe that Rukia changed Ichigo's life for the better, however, I think it really is Orihime's love that gives him not only a reason to keep fighting, but also hope for a peaceful world. Just my own random thoughts. Who knows what Kubo will ultimately do, but a girl can dream can't she?


	6. Day 6: Feelings

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

"And so then I heard from my friend that she had heard from one of his friends that Shou thought I was cute! Isn't that just the best Mom?"

Orihime smiled down at her fifteen year old daughter Reika and replied, "I see. That certainly is exciting for you."

Reika leaned her elbows on the kitchen counter, rested her chin on her palms, looked at Orihime imploringly and said, "Mom, I saw this absolutely adorable shirt the other day, it's exactly the right shade of blue which is Shou's favorite color, so…" she let the question hang in the air.

Not taking her eyes from the vegetables she was chopping up, Orihime said, "If you'll tell me what store it's at, next time I'm out shopping I'll take a look."

Running around the counter, Reika threw her arms around Orihime's waist and squealed, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

At that moment, Ichigo walked into the kitchen followed by four dripping wet offspring including, fourteen year old Makoto, twelve year old twins Nobu and Sayuri and eight year old Natsuki. The group had initially been working on weeding and watering the flower and vegetable gardens in the backyard when one thing had led to another and a 'No-Holds-Barred-Ultimate-Water-War' had broken out. The siblings were good-naturedly 'joshing' and jostling one another as they shuffled into the kitchen behind their father who had a small grin pulling up the corners of his mouth.

Orihime didn't even turn around as she called out to the newcomers, "Just make sure to use the old towels to clean up the mess on the floor. And do be careful not to-"

She didn't get to finish the warning before Nobu accidentally stepped in a small puddle of water, slipped and took down his siblings and dad like ninepins. After everyone had finished crashing to the floor, they all lay there for a few moments in bewildered silence before Natsuki quietly mumbled "Owie," which for whatever reason made Sayuri snort in laughter and then all of them were sprawled out and cracking up at their predicament.

Turning to face her laughing husband and children, Orihime crossed her arms, shook her head and asked, "What am I going to do with you all? Honestly. Is anyone hurt?"

Saluting his wife from his place on the floor, Ichigo replied, "No broken bones to report, ma'am. Just some bruised rumps and egos."

At his words, the tangled group of children on the floor started rolling slightly as they tried to relieve their aching muscles from all the giggling they were doing.

Trying to keep her stern expression firmly in place, Orihime pointed and said, "All of you clean up now," and as they began to try and disentangle themselves in order to stand up, Orihime added, "Just crawl. The last thing I need is to have one of you slip again and knock someone's head through the wall."

Looking seriously at his children, Ichigo said with a straight face, "Your mother's right. Walls are expensive to patch up, so don't any of you dare think of smashing through the wall in order to make a new doorway."

This sent Sayuri and Natsuki into another round of gleeful fits of laughter while Makoto and Nobu grinned at each other and then simultaneously began wrestling with one another and bumping frequently into the walls. The next moment, Ichigo pounced on his sons on the pretense of breaking them up even though he himself had now wholeheartedly joined in the battle.

Leaning against the counter next to Orihime, Reika crossed her arms, rolled her eyes and said resignedly, "If Shou ever asks me out, I'd better bring him over here first so that he can meet my crazy family first and decide if dating me is really going to be worth the effort."

At his daughter's words, Ichigo suddenly froze, managed to get socked in the jaw by Nobu before Ichigo pinned his son's arms to his sides while Makoto tickled his younger brother, at which point Ichigo turned his attention over to his oldest daughter and asked slowly, "Who is this Shou person you're referring to exactly?"

Speaking up for her daughter, Orihime said breezily, "He's just a boy at the high school who may or may not have a crush on Reika. And before you say anything, Ichigo, Reika knows that she would need our permission to go out with him."

Gathering up the chopped vegetables and tossing them into a pot of water, Orihime said, "I've also told the girls before that you and I would like to meet any young man who wishes to begin dating them. From what I've heard from Reika, Shou sounds like a nice young man, but even she hasn't talked to him much so I would recommend she get to know him a little better first before she starts thinking about dating him."

Directing her gaze at the heap of bodies still sprawled on the floor, Orihime finished by saying, "Now, I believe I told you all to get cleaned up. Reika, would you please help them by getting out the towels. Start with the older ones first, please."

A minute later, the kitchen was empty except for Orihime and Reika's twin sister, Ayaka, who had sat quietly at the kitchen table throughout the entire incident. Making sure that the food was cooking properly, Orihime then made her way over to the kitchen table, sat across from her daughter and waited. Ever since her twin sister had begun gushing on about Shou, Orihime had noticed Ayaka's silence.

Even though Reika and Ayaka were identical in looks, the two couldn't be more different in personality. The one difference in appearance between the two was that Ayaka kept her hair short and had bangs that covered her forehead while Reika grew her hair long like her mother.

As for personality, Reika was very much like Orihime had been at her age, highly vivacious, outgoing, talkative and friendly with everyone. Ayaka on the other hand was quieter, preferring the company of books to the friendship of others. That didn't mean that she spurned the people around her. Once people got to know her, Ayaka was a loyal friend and a conscientious listener. Orihime knew that Reika and Ayaka considered their twin to be their best friend and while they did have their disagreements at times, Orihime's heart warmed at her daughters' loyalty to one another.

Something about Ayaka's silence as she listened to Reika's account of Shou had caught Orihime's attention. Her daughter's demeanor had pricked at Orihime's usually accurate intuition. Because Ayaka was rather like her father in this one sense, Orihime knew that when Ayaka was ready she would reveal whatever it was that was bothering her.

True to her prediction, after about a minute of silence, Ayaka asked softly, "Mom, have you ever felt jealous?"

Taking a slow breath, Orihime replied, "I have. Why?"

Ayaka knew what her mom was asking and said slowly, "Reika is my best friend and my sister. Deep down I want her to be happy. Usually when I see her surrounded by all her friends and people who like her at school, I'm fine just standing off to the side and watching the others buzzing around her. I like to observe people."

Looking down at her hands, Ayaka went on, "I've known Shou since third grade when Reika and I were put in different classes that year. He was a bit of a show-off, but he seemed to have a good heart."

When Ayaka didn't say anything else for a while, Orihime reached over to cover Ayaka's hands with her own as she asked, "How long have you liked Shou?"

Lifting her gaze to meet Orihime's, Ayaka replied, "I think it began last spring, but this year we were scheduled to clean the classroom together and I got to talk with him a little more."

Pulling one of her hands away in order to swipe angrily at the tears beginning to swell in her eyes, Ayaka said desperately, "Why do I have to feel like this? Why can't I be happy for Reika if Shou really does like her? I love Reika and I like Shou, so I should be supportive of both of them if they really do start dating one another. But then why did my heart clench when I heard Reika talking about Shou and why did I feel a twinge when she said that he thought she was cute?"

A few tears splashed against the tabletop as Ayaka finished with, "But mostly I want to know why not me? I've known him longer and I've talked with him more. Why can't he say that I'm the one he likes? What's wrong with me?"

Ayaka felt Orihime's hands leave her own for a time but then felt them encircling her shoulders and pulling Ayaka into a warm, comforting embrace. Wrapping her arms around Orihime in return, Ayaka heard the soothing sound of her mother's heartbeat and felt her soft hands stroking her hair. Turning her head, Ayaka cried quietly so as not to disturb the rest of her family. She didn't really feel like letting her father and siblings know about her conflicted feelings right at the moment.

Eventually, Ayaka heard Orihime say, "Believe it or not, I know and understand almost exactly how you feel right now. When I was your age I liked a boy I had met a few years previously. However, one day, I began to feel a jealous because I saw that there was another girl who was able to help the boy in ways I didn't think I could."

Resting her cheek on top of Ayaka's head, Orihime went on, "In my head, I wanted what was best for the boy and if this girl could make him happy, who was I to get in the way. However, my heart just wouldn't listen to what my brain was trying to tell it. I wanted him to notice me. I wanted to be the one he shared that kind of bond with."

Ayaka asked quietly, "So what did you do?"

Orihime breathed in deeply, let it out slowly and then replied, "It was really difficult, but only a few weeks later I had to leave Karakura Town. I had to try and give the boy up. Tell him farewell and leave him behind. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done since it almost felt as if my heart was being torn right out of my chest as I told him good-bye."

"What happened?"

Another deep breath before Orihime said, "I won't get into all the details right now, but long story short over the next two years even though I still loved the boy and my love only seemed to get stronger. I eventually got to the point, however, where I felt as though I could accept the boy's choice if he fell in love with the other girl. They were both people I looked up to and loved dearly, so if they could make each other happy, who was I to get in their way?"

Pulling back and tilting her daughter's head up, Orihime said, "I'm not saying it was easy, because it wasn't, but I came to the understanding that I couldn't make the boy love me. I also had to figure this all out on my own since I didn't really talk about my feelings with anybody. Some of my friends knew that I really loved this boy, but they kept it quiet, for which I am forever grateful."

Brushing Ayaka's bangs out of her eyes, Orihime said, "When you told me just now about how you want both your sister and Shou to be happy, I was so very proud of you. None of us, not even Reika, knows for sure how Shou feels. Maybe he likes her, maybe he will fall in love with you, or maybe he'll choose another girl entirely. However, you are on the right path with your heart, I think."

Ayaka looked at Orihime with a confused expression and asked, "What do you mean?"

Orihime smiled down at Ayaka and said, "Because when you told me about what made you start liking Shou, you talked more about the kind of person he was rather than how cute he was. Looking past what is on the exterior and discovering the person he is on the inside is a very good start for a relationship, whether he becomes your boyfriend or just remains a good friend who is a boy."

Swiping her thumb under Ayaka's eyes, Orihime said, "It's not bad for you to have conflicting emotions about this whole situation right now, but just keep in mind that you can't let your feelings control you. If you and Shou are meant for each other, then it will happen in its own time. Don't force it."

Ayaka nodded, wiped and gave her mom a small smile as she said, "All right. Thanks Mom."

Returning Ayaka's smile, Orihime replied, "Anytime sweetheart."

They both turned as they heard the others making their way back down the hallway towards the kitchen when a sudden thought struck Ayaka and she asked, "Oh, by the way, what did happen between you and the other boy? Did he wind up falling in love with the other girl?"

Orihime's face broke into a large grin and she put an arm around Ayaka's shoulders to give her a side hug as she answered, "Actually no. After we all graduated from high school, your Auntie Tatsuki, Uncle Chad and all our other friends managed to set the boy and I up on a kind of date by ditching us at the beach. One thing lead to another and the young man and I began dating for real and a few years later we got engaged, married and started a family together."

It took a moment for Ayaka to process the words Orihime had just said, but then her eyes shone with understanding before they turned their gaze to look at Ichigo, who had just entered the room. A smile slowly began to spread across her face as the real meaning behind her mom's story became clear to her.

Her mom was right. Only time would tell if the feelings she felt for Shou would blossom into a love that would be the foundation for the kind of marriage her parents shared. As her mom had said, if her feelings were requited then it would only be a matter of time.

**Author's Note:**

For those of you who haven't read my stories 'Adjustments' or 'The Best Laid Plans', there were a few elements pulled from those stories. You should be able to understand what's going on without them, but just thought I'd let you know.

Yes, I gave Ichigo and Orihime six kids and I do know that it is a big family. I myself came from a family of five kids, so I'm very used to the dynamics in that way and I love writing about big families. Just to give you an idea of just how big my family is, on my dad's side I have 27 cousins with more than half of them married and on average having four kids of their own (some of them a few more than four). We get together at my aunt and uncle's house (they are very well-off and are extremely generous to use their enormous house to host our family get-togethers) and they will invite some more extended family or in-laws of their children, so we get close to 100 people at our holiday shebangs, or pretty close to it.

Anyway, just like with the big family, Ayaka's feelings do come from a portion of something that happened to me in real life. The boy I liked, he was nice and I enjoyed having him as a friend, but I found out he liked my sister. They didn't date because even though he was a nice boy I later found out that his personality just didn't suit me or my sister. So, that's kind of where this story comes from.

As always, hope you guys thought that everything made sense and wasn't too sappy or unrealistic and mostly that you enjoyed the story. More to come soon!


	7. Day 7: Eyes

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

Day 7-Eyes (the look he only gives her and vice versa)

"And so I told him that he might want to reconsider passing up the opportunity to fund this hospital since we just happen to have hired two of the most promising doctors in the past year onto our staff. 'The future is looking much brighter Mr. Takeda,' I says, 'Karakura Hospital is going to be one of the most popular hospitals in the next ten years, mark my words, and I'm sure you're going to want to have a slice of that prosperity.'"

The man speaking was of average height, but with very large proportions. His broad shoulders and big arms gave him the appearance of a boxer, only with the paunch in his middle it gave the impression of a once prominent boxer who has now gone out to pasture. His dark hair generously streaked with gray and a little white was immaculately gelled and combed back and his hands were well manicured. In every way, this man oozed charisma and success, usually qualities found in the most prominent businessmen, which this man happened to be.

Throwing an arm around the shoulders of the two young doctors he had just been referring to, he gave them each a manly, affectionate squeeze as he laughed heartily, "Yes sir! Karakura Hospital is going to be put on the map by these two young men, or my name's not Chikao Tenma!"

The young man on Chikao's left casually adjusted his glasses and said in a polite, professional tone, "Your confidence in us is highly flattering, Mr. Tenma. I'm sure I speak for both of us when I say that we work hard in order to be worthy of such high praise."

Chikao gave another laugh as he gave the young man's back a friendly, yet unintentionally powerful, smack as he said, "Ah, Uryu! No need to be so formal. I swear, you're just as hard to read as your father sometimes. Never can tell what's really going on inside Old Ryuuken's head, but one can't say much against him since he is one brilliant doctor."

Turning to the other young man under his wing, Chikao booms, "And what about you, Ichigo? You've been quite quiet most of the evening."

Quickly wrenching his eyes away from the doorway that he had been staring at intently, Ichigo gave his boss a small grin and said politely, "Sorry, Mr. Tenma. My thoughts were elsewhere just then."

An amused lit Chikao's eyes as he said slyly, "Looks like you're on the lookout for someone in particular," and at Ichigo's nod of assent, Chikao chuckled and winked as he said, "If I had to guess, I'd say you're waiting for a lady."

Again Ichigo nodded with a slightly warmer smile and his eyes drifted back to the doorway for a moment before a young woman sidled up on Ichigo's right, put on a dazzling smile and said in a breezy tone, "Are you sure this lady friend of yours is coming? It's been over an hour since this banquet started and she hasn't shown up yet. Maybe something came up."

Looking down at the woman, Ichigo said simply, "She'll be here."

Slowly, the woman slipped her hand through Ichigo's free arm and said in a sultry voice, "Well, if it just so happens that your friend doesn't show up, I'd be happy to be your lady friend for the evening."

To anyone who didn't know him, they would have thought that Ichigo's expression, polite tone and whole demeanor had remained the same. But Uryu Ishida did know Ichigo Kurosaki quite well and so could see the deep brown eyes turn icy in annoyance at the woman's audacity and borderline shameless behavior. While Ichigo wasn't the best at hiding his emotions most of the time, when he was at a work function such as this one with his boss, colleagues and business partners of the hospital watching his every move, Ichigo was able keep a lid on his anger, irritation and other explosive feelings.

Keeping his tone even and polite, Ichigo replied, "Your offer is quite generous, but I'm sure she'll be here any minute."

As if summoned her right on cue, a voice both Uryu and especially Ichigo knew quite well, spoke up from behind the large frame of Chikao Tenma, saying in a cheery yet slightly apologetic tone, "I'm here. Sorry I'm so late. I left work later then I thought I would and then the traffic got bad and I still had to change once I got here and then I couldn't find my other shoe and I accidentally dropped my bracelet on the floor of the bathroom so that I had to wait until the person in the stall stepped out before I could pick it up, but here I am!"

The group turned around at the sound of the voice and was met with the sight of a stunning young woman. Her hair was long and luscious with half of it flowing down her back and the other half loosely pulled up in a braided bun. Two blue, hibiscus hairpins were stuck into the bun. She was dressed in a modestly cut floor-length periwinkle blue dress. The top of the dress was formfitting while the skirt fluffed out once it reached the small of her back. There was a slight slit in the front of the skirt that went to about the middle of her calf to allow the young woman to walk easier. Her face was only slightly enhanced with a light covering of make-up.

However, it was the bright smile and delighted glow in the young woman's eyes that completely mesmerized the entire group. And both were directed straight at Ichigo Kurosaki.

The moment he had heard that warm, familiar voice, Ichigo's eyes had softened significantly so that even the young woman still clinging to his arm could not fail to notice the change. While he didn't extract himself from her grasp, the young woman could tell that she had already lost him.

Ichigo said simply, "All that matters is that you made it," to which Orihime responded by smiling even more brilliantly.

Turning to the group, Ichigo said formally, "May I introduce you to my boss, Mr. Chikao Tenma, and a number of Karakura Hospital's founders and donors," before turning back to Orihime, unconsciously slipping his arm out of the other young woman's grasp and saying almost tenderly, "And this is Orihime Kurosaki."

Slowly sweeping his gaze over the surrounding group, as he looked into Orihime's eyes, Ichigo finished in a tone of possessiveness mixed with a little pride, "My wife."

There was a kind of stunned and surprised silence for the space of about two seconds before Chikao collected his wits first and laughed heartily saying, "Well, well, well! I suppose I must have missed this happy news since I didn't even know you had been engaged, Ichigo. Well, congratulations! You're a lucky man to have captured the heart of a beautiful young lady such as this one."

Ichigo smirked, reached down to take Orihime's hand and slip it through his arm as he said, "That I am," to which Orihime blushed prettily, reached up to cup the side of his face and pull him down to her level so that she could kiss his cheek.

As the conversation went on, the young woman off to the side observed how Ichigo and Orihime acted and reacted around one another and hoped that one day she could find a man who would look at her the same way Ichigo looked at Orihime. She wanted a man who would almost literally 'light up' or 'come to life' whenever he heard her voice or looked into her eyes.

**Author's Note:**

This one was fun to do! It didn't take me long since it just seemed to 'flow' after I got started. I am now halfway through and I'm hoping to be done well before White Day, but we'll see.

Hope you liked it!


	8. Day 8: Trace

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

Day 8-Trace

Another late night at the hospital had Ichigo literally dragging his feet walking inside his home, but definitely not figuratively. Coming home at the end of a hard day's work always gave him something to look forward to. To work towards.

However, since it was already past eleven o'clock at night, Ichigo really hoped that Orihime wasn't waiting up for him. He had made sure to call her right away when he found out that he needed to stay several more hours on his shift so that she wouldn't try and keep his food warm or anything like that. Apparently though, from the scent lingering in the air, Orihime might have done just that. Bless her heart, she was so predictable.

Walking into the kitchen, Ichigo saw his dinner arranged on a plate and covered with plastic wrap. From the looks of it, Orihime had made noodles with spicy chicken and a few other side dishes. Ichigo was sorry he had missed such a tasty meal, but he could still enjoy it tomorrow for lunch or something and so put the plate in the fridge.

Scratching his head and yawning, Ichigo prepared to head upstairs and go to bed, when he heard something that made him stop. Heading over to the living room, Ichigo saw that the television was on and playing a rerun of some crime/drama. More than that, Ichigo saw his wife sprawled out on the couch fast asleep obviously having failed in her attempt to stay up and greet him as she always did.

Crossing his arms and shaking his head, Ichigo chuckled and said softly to his sleeping wife, "You are incorrigible, you know that?"

Walking over to kneel next to the couch, Ichigo's mouth grinned as he whispered, "Guess that's one reason I fell in love with you, isn't it? You never gave up on me. Never gave up hope."

Unconsciously, Orihime seemed to realize who was kneeling next to her as she mumbled something incomprehensible in her sleep before her mouth turned up in a sleepy grin. Then she turned onto her side so that she was face to face with Ichigo before lying still once more.

There was silence for about a minute, before Ichigo gently reached out to push some stray hairs away from Orihime's face. He then tenderly stroked the very tips of his fingers across the smooth skin of Orihime's face, tracing the contours of her forehead, cheeks, lips and nose.

With his free hand, Ichigo reached down in order to clasp one of Orihime's small hands in his own. While her hands were soft to the touch, Ichigo knew these hands were far from pampered and spoiled. They had seen their fair share of hard work and hardship, and yet they always remained gentle, kind and calming no matter whom they were reaching out to.

Leaning forward to place his forehead against hers, Ichigo whispered to Orihime, "I love you so much."

As he bent his head in order to brush his lips against her cheek, Orihime mumbled in her sleep, "Ichigo…love…you…forever…"

With those four words, Ichigo smiled. Even though he knew that she was not aware of what she was saying right at the moment, Ichigo also understood that Orihime would not have said something like that if she had not truly meant every word.

Ichigo was still smiling as he gently picked her up, held her against his chest and carried her upstairs to their bedroom. He laid her on the bed, changed into his night clothes and then carefully lay down next to her, sliding an arm around her shoulders in order to pull her towards him. When she was resting against his side, Orihime snuggled, made herself more comfortable and then rested her hand on Ichigo's chest before settling down once again.

As he felt his eyes grow heavy with sleep, Ichigo continued to trace his fingers across Orihime's face and skin.

* * *

The next morning, Orihime woke up to find herself safely and comfortably snuggled up against her husband. Looking up, she saw that he was still sound asleep, so Orihime carefully extracted herself from his warm embrace, climbed out of bed and headed downstairs to start making breakfast.

Once she was finished, Orihime called up the stairs to let Ichigo know that it was time to eat, but she wasn't at all surprised when she received no response. Grinning, Orihime decided that it might be fun to do something different this morning and so prepared a breakfast tray for them to share in bed this fine morning. Carefully making her way back upstairs, Orihime deposited the tray on the dresser and then made her way over to the bed, crawled over to Ichigo's side and sat staring into his sleeping face for a few minutes.

Smiling down at her husband, Orihime said with a soft laugh, "Well, it looks like fell asleep last night on the couch and then you decided to carry me upstairs so that I wouldn't be uncomfortable."

Lowering herself so that she can prop her head up on her palm, Orihime reached over with her free hand to brush a few tendrils of hair from Ichigo's forehead as she said, "You are always so thoughtful and caring, even when you try and act as though you don't really care. That's one reason I fell in love with you, I think."

In response to Orihime's touch, Ichigo breathed deeply, yawned slightly and leaned his head unconsciously into her hand. This reaction caused Orihime's smile to widen while her eyes took on a loving and tender expression.

Brushing her fingertips along his hairline, Orihime eventually began to trace along Ichigo's cheekbones, eyebrows and jawbone. She allowed her fingers to brush along the shape of his lips before leaning down to gently press her own lips against his.

Ever so gently, Orihime lay down so that her ear was right over his heart and she could hear it steadily thumping. Then she reached down in order to entwine her fingers with Ichigo's.

Even though his hands were callused and rough, Orihime did not think she had ever come across a more beautiful pair. Those hands that held Zangetsu with such strength and determination in order to cut down his enemies and those who threatened his loved ones, would also reach out to hold her ever so gently. They were so sure and steady and she could always count on them no matter what.

Looking up so that she could gently place a kiss on Ichigo's chin, Orihime whispered softly, "I love you so much, Ichigo."

Feeling her grip on Ichigo's hand loosen, Orihime looked down in surprise only to suddenly feel Ichigo's hands wrap around her so that he could pull her up onto his chest. Once they were both adjusted, Orihime found herself looking into Ichigo's eyes, which were full of amusement and love.

Grinning at Orihime, Ichigo said in a slightly husky voice, "Orihime…"

When he doesn't finish his sentence, Orihime looks at him curiously and asked, "What?"

Reaching up to entangle his fingers in her hair and cup her face, Ichigo said, "Love you forever."

Giving Ichigo a radiant smile, Orihime placed her hands on Ichigo's cheeks as she replied, "Same here."

**Author's Note:**

So yeah...this idea I wanted to do a kind of 'mirror effect' where what happened to one of them kind of happened to the other. Also, I didn't to much 'tracing' in here besides them touching each other, but I think it worked all right.

Hope you enjoyed it! We're getting close to the end, but not there just yet!


	9. Day 9: Hollows and Hairpins

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

Ichigo really wished people could be installed with mute buttons. Or, more accurately, he wished voices inside people's heads came with a mute button. Or, even more specifically, Ichigo wished that Hollow manifestations inside the soul of a person which then gave him the power to become a Vizard came with their own built-in mute button that would always remain active. If that were the case, Ichigo would have far fewer headaches.

'Oh, c'mon Kingie,' said the abovementioned Hollow manifestation, 'You know you love me.'

"Yeah," replied Ichigo in his mind, "I love you as much as I love arsenic or a month long migraine."

Ichigo's Hollow gasped in a tone of mock anguish, 'Oh! Your words cut me up real quick!'

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo thought irritably, "The phrase is 'cut me to the quick'."

'How does that make any sense? What's a 'quick'? Is it like a quick death or something? Quick deaths are never any fun. Not messy enough. I prefer to-'

"Just shut up already."

"Excuse me."

Ichigo looked down in confusion only to meet the shocked and slightly hurt gaze of Orihime. It took him a moment to realize that he had actually said those four unkind words out loud. Now that he thought about it, while he had been carrying on his mental conversation, Orihime had been excitedly telling him about her day at work or something like that. He desperately wanted to kick himself right about now for being so stupid.

Ichigo's Hollow sniggered as he said, 'I'm sure we could arrange that.' Ichigo growled back, "How about I come in there and just kick you around for a bit?"

The next moment Ichigo felt extremely ridiculous again as he accidentally said them aloud just as a couple was walking past him. They gave him the strangest looks before slightly speeding up their walking speed.

Ignoring the strangers' stares, Ichigo said apologetically, "Orihime, I seriously didn't mean to say that out loud just now and I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention to what you were saying."

Before either of them could say anything, there was a flash of light from Orihime's hairpins (that were dutifully nestled in the pocket of her shirt) and an irritated voice said, "Yeah right, you jerk! Who're you trying to fool anyway?"

Unconsciously, Ichigo took a step back as the small figure of Tsubaki flew straight at Ichigo's face. Tsubaki stopped just inches away from Ichigo's nose and stared menacingly at the young man.

"He almost looks like a male version of Tinker Bell, only with a temper ten times worse than hers," thought Ichigo.

Unfortunately, Ichigo had forgotten that his Hollow was currently 'listening in' on his thoughts and communications with the outside world, and so Ichigo heard the Hollow snickering as he said, 'I dare you to say that to his face! See what happens! Maybe he'll explode into pixie dust!'

"I'm not going to tell you again to shut up!" growled Ichigo out loud again before immediately beginning to mentally kick himself.

At Ichigo's words, Tsubaki's glare turned murderous as he growled back, "Oh…you're asking for it, Buddy…" and then launched himself forward.

Ichigo ducked his head back to avoid Tsubaki's first attack only to have his head thrown forward from a vicious kick at the back of his skull. This did nothing to improve Ichigo's temperament, especially with the Hollow inside his head cackling and nearly screaming with laughter at the whole, stupid situation.

Never having been one to really pay attention to the things going on around him as he is fighting, Ichigo didn't notice the humans staring at him in bewilderment, shock, amusement, irritation and looking at Orihime with pity, surprise and wariness in their eyes. Obviously, any girl with a boyfriend so demented that he would swat and grumble and threaten to fight with thin air MUST be desperate enough to scrape the bottom of the 'boyfriend barrel'. Also, if someone of her beauty and poise had to stoop THAT low, it meant either one of two things. First, that the 'boyfriend pool' to choose from was drastically depleted or second, that this girl wasn't right in the head.

Also never having been one to notice when the outside world didn't approve of the way she did things, Orihime thought quickly before calling out, "Would the rest of you come out here please? I need your help!"

Five more flashes of light and the rest of Orihime's fairies appeared next to her. Immediately, Baigon and Hinagiku flew after the still enraged Tsubaki and each one firmly grasped one of his arms in a restraining hold. Lily and Shun'o followed close behind in order to hem Tsubaki in from all sides. As for Ayame, she turned and bowed apologetically to Orihime and then to Ichigo, who happened to be rubbing the back of his head ruefully.

From where he was helping to restrain Tsubaki, Shun'o spoke up apologetically, "Our deepest apologies. Our companion was in the wrong for attacking you like that and we deeply regret his actions as it reflects on all of us as well as the heart of our mistress."

At those words, Tsubaki stiffened and then slumped in irritated remorse. A rather odd combination, to be sure, but one that was most appropriate given the circumstances and his personality.

Ichigo's reaction to Shun'o's words was one of surprise at first before he shrugged his shoulders and said carelessly, "Ah, forget about it. It all started because I was arguing with my stupid Hollow and I lost my head."

Smiling slightly, Shun'o said kindly, "No matter the reason or provocation, Tsubaki was entirely in the wrong to attack you. We are the manifestation of our mistress's heart and for Tsubaki to begin attacking you…well, we don't want to damage any relationship or bond of our mistress's because of a misunderstanding and hotheadedness on one of our companion's part."

All six fairies bowed (Tsubaki being forced to do so as well) before they said in unison, "Please accept our apologies and continue to take good care of our mistress," and then they all disappeared in a flash of light.

Still rubbing his head, Ichigo looked down at Orihime and said, "While I appreciate the apologies from them, I really should be the one asking for forgiveness for losing my head."

Smiling up at Ichigo shyly, Orihime replied, "There's nothing to forgive. I'm sorry that I misunderstood what you were saying and that Tsubaki hurt you."

Grinning, Ichigo said, "Your Tsubaki can pack quite a punch when he wants to, but you know I've dealt with worse then him."

He then gritted his teeth and said, "I only wish I could summon my Hollow and then make him go away like you do with your fairies. The Hollow REALLY knows how to push my buttons when he wants to."

Orihime's eyes lit up as she reached up to cup Ichigo's face in her hands as she said, "Let's see what we can do to help you take your mind off of him then."

The kiss definitely did the trick. Now all the people around them saw was a couple of teenagers kissing tenderly and sweetly on the sidewalk. Nothing weird or strange about that sight. Most found it very endearing since it wasn't lewd or seeming like they wanted attention from anyone. They were simply expressing their love to each other.

**Author's Note:**

I don't know...I think this one turned out good in the end, but I'm sure I can do better with the next five chapters.

It was fun to write, I just think that it could have been better in some way. However, fluff is fun to write and extremely adorable.

Hope you liked it!


	10. Day 10: Rain

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

It was going to be a long night.

Here he was, lying in bed alone, he couldn't sleep, his children were sleeping but that wouldn't likely be for long if the distant sounds of thunder were any indication. It was going to rain. And Orihime wasn't home yet. He would have to face this alone.

The rain had become less of a depressant on Ichigo after Rukia had helped him to begin putting the blame he had burdened himself with, over his mother's death, to rest. Nowadays, during storms like these, Orihime was normally at his side, holding him, so he could allow himself to believe that he was protecting her from the storm that raged around them. This time, the storm had come when he was totally unprepared and completely alone with his memories and thoughts for company.

Obviously, it began with his mother's death. Her weight pressed him down into the dirt, but that was nothing compared to the weight that had settled itself firmly on his mind, heart and soul that day. Yes, he had forgiven himself and moved forward, but on nights like tonight Ichigo couldn't help the small, nagging, doubting voice in the back of his mind saying 'What if…' and nothing else.

Then Ichigo's thoughts would move forward to the handful of times when he had failed. He had allowed his Hollow to take control, he hadn't been strong enough to stop his loved ones from getting hurt and so on. Yes, everyone had said he was being an idiot for putting so much pressure on himself. One time, Uryu had finally blown up at him and said he needed to stop being a perfectionist, that it was Uryu's job since Ichigo couldn't even do that right. Once again, that small, whisper soft voice asked that infernal question: 'What if…'

Over and over again, the images chased themselves through Ichigo's mind until they morphed into images that had not come to pass, but that Ichigo was terrified of seeing one day. His friends fighting some new and dangerous enemy and Ichigo being unable to help them. Then after the enemy defeated his friends, he would be standing in front of his own family desperately trying to keep them safe. He would succeed for a time, but then he would be overwhelmed.

However, instead of killing Ichigo, the faceless, nameless enemy would advance on his wife and children causing Orihime to step boldly, albeit unsteadily, in front of the children. Then, worst of all, just like he had done so many times, his sons would run in front of their mother in order to try and protect her themselves.

The worst thing was that as he was watching his sons run to their own demise without hesitation, Ichigo couldn't help but be proud of them. To see them running at the enemy with the desire to protect burning in their eyes, tore at Ichigo's heart more than anything because he knew that he felt the same way about protecting Orihime and the girls, but they were his sons. As their father it was his duty to protect them first and he had failed in that duty. Now they would pay the price for his failure.

Barely had that nightmare faded when the next one began. This time, Ichigo had lost control of his Hollow once again. Only now, Ichigo could see everything that his body was doing while being helpless to prevent it. Now, instead of a faceless, nameless enemy attacking his friends, wife and children, Ichigo had taken that role. What made it worse was that everyone was telling him that he needed to take control again, but their eyes were pitying and desperate to save him.

All of a sudden, Ichigo startled violently and before he knew what had happened, he had rolled over and pinned someone underneath him. Blinking a few times, Ichigo realized that he had somehow managed to fall into a restless sleep, he had been woken up when someone had taken hold of his arm and the person who was now staring up at him with a rather dazed expression in her wide, gray eyes was his wife.

She had come home at last and this was how he greeted her. Maybe she had figured out that he was having a nightmare and was trying to comfort him. More than likely, though, she had probably thought he was asleep and simply wanted to kiss him goodnight or something. And this was how he reacted.

Before he could apologize, Orihime suddenly reached up to cup Ichigo's face and ask quietly, "Ichigo, what's wrong?"

When he didn't respond, Orihime gently wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck and drew him down until his head was half resting on the pillow and half on her shoulder. Then she took to stroking his hair and the side of his face in slow, gentle motions.

As he began to relax, Ichigo closed his eyes and asked, "How did you know?"

He felt Orihime take a breath before she answered, "Your eyes. You looked positively furious and terrified."

Wrapping his arms around Orihime's waist and adjusting them so that they could see eye to eye, Ichigo said slowly, "I'm sorry Orihime. I am so sorry."

Leaning forward, Orihime kissed Ichigo's forehead tenderly before she whispered, "There's nothing to forgive. Now, what's wrong?"

Ichigo spoke slowly, saying, "It all began with those memories. Mom's death. Losing those battles. Feeling the Hollow take control.

"Then it moved on to nightmares about some new enemy. I couldn't do anything to help our friends, then I couldn't protect you or the…the kids. The boys ran forward to protect you and the girls.

"Finally, the nightmare shifted so that I was that enemy. I attacked everyone and there was nothing I could do."

When he finished, there was a long pause before Ichigo opened his eyes, sat up and said, "I don't understand."

Orihime's hand reached out to rub his back as she waited for him to go on before she finally asked, "Understand what?"

Turning around, Ichigo said, "I've failed before. I've lost control before. What happens if it happens again? I have so much more to lose now than I did back when I was fifteen. If something ever happened to you, or the kids or worse, if I did something to any of you…"

There was another pause with Ichigo and Orihime looking at each other. Ichigo with anger and desperation, Orihime with calm and benevolence.

Finally, Orihime reached out again to draw Ichigo back down to her before she said slowly and seriously, "So you are convinced that these nightmares are one day going to come true? That there is no hope for you at all?"

Scowling, Ichigo said, "That's not the point, Orihime. There are times I don't understand how I got to this point. You trusted me when we got married, our friends have trusted me for years and now there are the kids as well. Sometimes, I don't know why you all have so much faith in me when I have failed before."

Making Ichigo look at her, Orihime said in a firm tone, "Don't you see? It's because of this that we have put so much faith in you. We can see what you can't."

At Ichigo's quizzical look, Orihime said in a more gentle tone, "You are wrestling with these nightmares, feelings and thoughts about yourself. While you were telling me about your nightmares, the thought that truly terrified you was that there was nothing you could do to help others. Your concern and focus was on everybody else but yourself.

"The reason we all trust you is because we feel the same way about you. We want to be there for you no matter what. Yes, you have made mistakes before, but so have we all. It's a part of living, Ichigo. You made your choice and we made ours."

Taking a deep breath, Orihime went on, "As for our sons, I feel the same as you about that. On the one hand, I would be so proud of them as a mother, but on the other hand, as their mother, the last place I want to see them is directly in harm's way. And once again, we will do our best by them to protect them and teach them, but they will ultimately make their own choices in life."

Letting out a small yawn, Orihime said with a smile, "Now, I don't know what happened tonight to bring these thoughts into your head, but I hope you feel better now. Even though I'd be more than willing to stay up a little longer, I am rather tired."

Returning Orihime's grin, Ichigo said as he kissed her forehead, "I'm fine now, thanks to you. I love you."

They shared a long, sweet kiss before Orihime rested her head on Ichigo's chest, got herself settled and then said sleepily, "I love you too."

As Ichigo listened to Orihime's breathing slowing down in sleep, he realized that the rain had stopped. He looked down at Orihime and smiled as a thought came to him. Rukia was the one to help stop and dry up the rain, but Orihime, her smile, her spirit, her laughter, her caring nature and everything else about her was the beautiful rainbow that came after the fiercest storm. And with the rainbow, came hope and a promise of new life. The grin still pulled at the corners of his mouth as he closed his eyes, wrapped his arms more snugly around Orihime and followed her into sleep.

**Author's Note:**

Another one down! Hope you guys like it!


	11. Day 11: Chocolate

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

"The song is wrong."

Wrenching his gaze away from the movie they were watching, Ichigo looked at his wife with curiosity as he asked, "What?"

Licking her spoon clean of all chocolate ice cream residue, Orihime happily scooped out another spoonful of creamy goodness as she replied, "The song 'Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend'. It's wrong."

Ichigo waited for a time for Orihime to continue on with her little observation and when she didn't he pressed, "Why do you think that?"

Before she could answer, something jumped out of the shadows in the movie causing Orihime to jump in her seat and give a sharp squeak of terror. Worst of all, she nearly upset her bowl of ice cream. Nearly.

Once she had calmed down again, Orihime looked at Ichigo with a smile and said, "Oh…that was close."

Looking at the screen, Ichigo said drolly, "Well, it might have been a close shave for you…but that poor bloke in the movie seems to have lost his head."

Orihime looked up with wide eyes and wailed, "What?! He died?! But he was so sweet to that one girl at the beginning! Why did they kill him?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Ichigo said, "Who cares. It's just a movie. And you didn't answer my question."

Popping another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, Orihime looked at Ichigo and asked around the spoon, "What question?"

"Why do you think that song is wrong?"

She looked confused for a few seconds before understanding lit up her eyes and Orihime said, "Oh, the song. Well, I don't think it's right because if a girl is really sad, lonely, angry, depressed, happy or anything else, diamonds aren't really going to do much for her. They're pretty and sparkly and expensive, but they're not really practical for any mood a girl might have."

Thinking for a moment, Ichigo asked, "Then why do so many girls seem to really want the expensive engagement rings or the flashy jewelry?"

Orihime blinked before she answered slowly, "I guess you have a point there. Most girls do like diamonds because they are so valuable and last so long."

Turning her gaze on Ichigo, Orihime said seriously, "But I still think they're not a girl's best friend because a friend is someone who sticks with you no matter what and makes you happy whether you have a lot of things or not."

There was a pause for a time as they continued to watch the movie before Ichigo spoke up again and asked, "So if you wouldn't want diamonds to be considered your 'best friend', then what would you choose instead?"

Taking another bite of ice cream, Orihime moaned rapturously, "Mmmm…chocolate."

Trying to keep his expression and voice in check, Ichigo asked, "What did you say?"

Locking eyes with Ichigo, once again with her spoon in her mouth, Orihime looked confused for a moment before her eyes widened and she said, "I was just talking about the chocolate I was eating, but I would think that I would want chocolate to be my best friend rather than diamonds.

"Chocolate has endorphins in it, so that if you eat it when you are really sad or mad or hurt it can help you feel a little better. Also, dark chocolate is said to help keep your heart healthy."

Quirking an eyebrow at Orihime, Ichigo played devil's advocate and said, "But wouldn't that just be a temporary help? Diamonds last for years, but chocolate is finished the moment you put it in your mouth."

Orihime nodded slowly before she said, "That may be true, but chocolate also costs less than diamonds. And also, someone isn't likely to break into your house just to steal your chocolate."

Now it was Ichigo's turn to concede the point as he said, "I see what you're saying."

His eyes took on a teasing light as he said, "So that means that I can take back your wedding and engagement rings and exchange them for pounds and pounds of chocolate?"

Swatting his shoulder, Orihime said incredulously, "Absolutely not! How dare such a thought even enter your head!"

Throwing up his hands in surrender, Ichigo laughed, "All right, all right! Forget I even mentioned it!"

Leaning forward, taking Orihime's ice cream bowl away from her and placing it on the coffee table in front of them, Ichigo grinned as he said, "Let me try some of that chocolate," and then he kissed Orihime long and sweetly, while she in turn gladly returned.

Pulling away slightly, Ichigo said, "Mmmm…that chocolate is quite delicious."

Even though her cheeks reddened slightly, Orihime reached up to brush some hair away from his forehead as she said, "There's another reason I love chocolate so much."

Cocking his head in curiosity, Ichigo asked, "What's that?"

Smiling even wider, Orihime said, "Your eyes have always reminded me of the sweetest melted chocolate I could ever imagine."

Before he claimed her lips again, Ichigo rumbled, "And to think I thought you fell in love with my sparkling personality…"

**Author's Note:**

And now there were three left! This was just fun to come up with in about forty-five minutes before I go to bed. Hope you liked it!


	12. Day 12: The Walk Home

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

Home is where the heart is.

A commonly used phrase, but one that people sometimes don't fully understand or appreciate. So, just for fun and giggles, let's follow one man on his journey home and see if we can't make a few mental lights bulbs click on.

We'll begin by having this particular man go off on a business trip somewhere far away from home…let's say Yugoslavia. I mean, what other reason could someone possibly have to go to such a place besides on a business trip? Anyway, said man is now going to begin his journey by flying back to his homeland of Japan and more specifically touching down in Tokyo.

The man will then acquire some sort of transportation in order to continue on to his hometown of Karakura. So far, so good…at least mostly. Obviously, having idiotic drivers cut you off in rush hour traffic really wouldn't do much to improve anyone's mood. And that can be especially irritating if that same man is trying to get over jet lag while driving.

More than once, thoughts of jumping out of the car, pulling out his Soul Reaper badge and just flash stepping all the way back home crossed his mind…and maybe taking a few swipes at these driving idiots with Zangetsu. However, the man suppresses those urges and just continues driving.

After he arrives at Karakura, it isn't long before the man passes by his childhood home. He smiles at the memories that cross his mind as he keeps on going. He's not home just yet.

Driving down a few more streets, the man arrives at the one he has been thinking about ever since leaving for Yugoslavia and all the time in between. Now that he's on the right street, the man is looking for the correct house.

Finally, the man pulls into the driveway that takes him up to the garage that allows him to open the door where he walks across the threshold.

Waiting, as the man had expected, was a woman with a radiant smile and her arms open the moment she sees the man.

"Welcome home!" exclaims the woman joyfully as she rushes forward.

In response, the man beams back, opens his arms to catch her and pull her to him, the man replies, "I'm home."

And now that he is enveloped in her arms, he truly is home.

**Author's Note:**

This was fun to write, even though it is short. Technically, this story really could apply to anyone since there were no names used, but we know who the characters really are.

Also, I have no idea why I thought of Yugoslavia and if anyone is from there, I apologize profusely! It sounded funny to my mind, but I don't mean to offend if I did.

Almost there! Deadline is tonight and I will make it! Failure is not an option!


	13. Day 13: Secrets

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

"Orihime."

"Yes Ichigo?"

"Do you want to know a secret?"

"Sure!"

"Do you promise not to tell?"

"Of course I will! I won't tell a soul! Cross my heart and hope to die!"

"Come closer."

"Like this?"

"Let me whisper in your ear."

"Umm, ok…but there's no one else around us…"

"I'll say the words you long to hear."

"Ichigo, quit teasing and just tell me!"

"I'm in love with you."

"Oh…I love you too."

"I know. You've loved me longer, but it was quite a while before I figured out your secret."

"I wasn't trying to keep it a secret…or maybe I was…I don't know…"

"Well, that just made it a secret well worth discovering."

**Author's Note:**

Ok, Ichigo's dialogue at the beginning is taken from a Beatles' song...nothing else was coming to mind just then and after I started, it kept me amused.

Hope you guys liked it! One more to go!


	14. Day 14-Mother

Two Halves Can Fill a Whole

The day was warm with a pleasant breeze. A perfect day for a picnic.

Upon pulling their van into the parking lot of Karakura Park, the Kurosaki children immediately threw open the door and clambered out into the beautiful freedom of the outdoors. The Kurosaki parents followed more slowly than their offspring, going around to the back in order to begin unloading their provisions and supplies.

While they were still getting everything situated, four more vehicles pulled up beside the Kurosaki's van. From one came the Abarai family, while another carried Ms. Kurosaki and her fiancé. The other two held Mr. and Mrs. Sado and Mr. and Mrs. Hitsugaya respectively.

As soon as Mrs. Sado stepped out of the car, Mrs. Kurosaki immediately gave a cry of delight, saying, "It's so good to see you!"

Looking around at the others, Mrs. Kurosaki said ecstatically, "I'm so glad you all could make it!"

Grinning at her long-time friend, Mrs. Sado gave Mrs. Kurosaki a side-hug and said, "Like we would miss this chance to get together with you guys. How long has it been since we last got together?"

Mrs. Abarai handed her newborn son to her husband so that she could go over and join in the hug as she said, "Far too long."

The young Ms. Kurosaki ran over to join as well while her sister, Mrs. Hitsugaya, looked with a smile at the Kurosaki children and the two older Abarai children running and playing as she said, "Wonderful as this reunion is, we should probably get moving. Kids will be kids, you know."

Waving a hand carelessly, Mrs. Abarai said, "Oh, that's easily taken care of," before she turned to the men and said firmly, "Take the stuff, set up and then at least keep an eye on the kids if you're not planning on playing with them."

Even though he had known Mrs. Abarai for years, the younger Mr. Kurosaki still hadn't learned that talking back to the abovementioned woman never turned out well and so scoffed, "What? No please?"

Everyone else wisely took a step back the moment before Mrs. Abarai gave an almighty leap, planted her foot in Mr. Kurosaki's chest to send him reeling before delivering a mean kick to the left side of his face. This final blow sent Mr. Kurosaki crashing to the ground in a daze.

Landing lightly on her feet, Mrs. Abarai leaned over Mr. Kurosaki's prostrate form and said in a sugary sweet tone, "Please," before turning to the other women and saying, "Well, we have a lot of catching up to do."

As the women walked away talking and laughing, Ms. Kurosaki's fiancé bent over his prostrate friend and said with a straight face, "You never learn, do you Ichigo?"

Blinking a few times and trying his best to put on a ferocious scowl, Ichigo growled, "Shut it, Uryu," before he turned his gaze on his attacker's husband and asked incredulously, "Renji, wh-"

"Don't you dare ask me why I can't control my wife! You know perfectly well that Rukia does as Rukia wishes," said Renji as he adjusted his infant son in his arms, "And besides, you kind of had it coming."

Before anyone could continue arguing, Toshiro said matter-of-factly, "The kids are still running around unsupervised," which caused all the menfolk to quickly gather the picnic supplies and make their way over to where the kids were playing. As they walked, the men found ways to keep on verbally sparring with one another.

The afternoon sun climbed up to its highest point and then began its descent and in that time was able to watch the families and friends enjoying each other's company. They talked, laughed, joked, playfully fought, ate and all around had fun together.

All of a sudden, the calm atmosphere of the picnic was shattered as the peal of an expensive sports car tires squealed into the parking lot. The adults all turned as one to see a bright red sports car begin to make a circuit of the lot. They also saw with horror that the children had been on the verge of rushing out into that parking lot in order to retrieve a ball.

As one, all the adults surged up from their seats and began racing towards where the children were. Fortunately, the older children had known better than to race out into the path of an oncoming car and had kept the younger children from doing so either.

After making a full circle, for whatever reason, the driver of the sports car decided to go around again and this time as it passed by the children, the racing adults saw the tires shoot gravel and small pebbles into the air. Some of the missiles hit the older kids as they tried to protect the younger ones.

"Stop right there!"

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Stop your car right now!"

"Don't you dare drive away!"

"Get back here you idiots!"

For whatever reason, the driver of the sports car brought his vehicle to a stop and sat there staring at the oncoming mob of five furious females. One could almost say the three teenage boys inside the car had a certain amount of courage to not drive away.

Upon reaching the car, Tatsuki started first, growling, "Just what do you think you were doing?!"

Yuzu was a little less vicious, but still quite upset as she said, "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves driving around that recklessly!"

Rukia was up next, barely keeping her voice under control as she said, "There are children playing over there! You must be blind not to see them over there!"

Crossing her arms and glaring down at the boys, Karin Hitsugaya said icily, "You're lucky that your stupidity didn't end up hurting my nieces or nephews."

The boys in the car had cowered lower in their seats with each new accusation and demand from the upset women. After each one had said their piece, the boys turned their attention to Orihime, waiting with apprehension for the last verbal blow to fall.

For a time, Orihime simply stood there, staring down at the boys with an unreadable expression. As they sat there, the boys looked at one another then back at Orihime before she turned around and walked over to the group of children. Taking her youngest son by the hand, Orihime walked back over to the car with her son toddling silently beside her.

When she reached the side of the sports car, Orihime looked down at the boys and said, slowly, "This is my son, Natsuki. He just had his first birthday a little over a month ago. He has three older sisters, two older brothers and a father who all love him dearly. I am his mother and I love him with all my heart."

Looking down at the boys with a calm, serious expression in her eyes, Orihime went on, "The next time you do something like this, you might hit someone. A child of Natsuki's size wouldn't survive. Your reckless action would not only affect the family of that child, but the friends and extended family as well."

Bending down to pick up Natsuki, Orihime finished with, "Please, don't ever do this again."

The boys all shook their heads and the driver replied in a soft voice, "I promise," and in less than two minutes the car was creeping its way back out of the parking lot.

From their standpoint next to the children, Renji remarked to the others, "You know, there's a reason you don't want to go after baby bears."

Ichigo smirked as he replied, "Yep. Because you know Mama Bear isn't far behind them."

Chad crossed his arms and said, "I almost feel bad for those boys."

Adjusting his glasses, Uryu remarked, "I don't. I'm guessing they learned their lesson."

Giving his wife a small smile, Toshiro said, "I think they did."

The rest of the afternoon hours waned away in peace.

**Author's Note:**

And the end has arrived! As always, it is a bittersweet finish to another story, but since I have other projects that are in the works right now it definitely helps with that.

At one point, I read a story where Uryu and Yuzu were in a relationship, so since I was playing around with Toshiro and Karin together (now that we know that Isshin and Toshiro knew each other in Soul Society and worked together, I could actually see this pairing somehow happening) I thought it would be fun to experiment with these two as well. Hope you guys don't mind!

This was a lot of fun to write and I will definitely be trying this again sometime in the future since it was so much fun!

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful support of all these different stories! I really enjoyed creating them for you to enjoy!


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